Horizon Steel Frontiers points Sony’s machine-hunting universe toward mobile MMO territory

Horizon Steel Frontiers is one of the biggest mobile-connected announcements to watch because it moves Sony’s Horizon universe into MMO territory. The project is being developed by NCSoft in collaboration with Guerrilla and Sony, with machine hunting, tribal conflict, co-op play, character creation and MMORPG systems all part of the pitch. Latest reporting points to global testing in the second half of 2026, with a wider release expected after 2027 rather than immediately. That long runway makes sense.

Turning Horizon into a mobile-first MMO is not easy. The series depends on readable machine behaviour, tactical combat, environmental scale and a sense of awe around its mechanical creatures. If Steel Frontiers becomes too automated or too grind-heavy, it could lose what makes Horizon special. But if NCSoft gets the hunting and co-op systems right, this could be one of the most important mobile MMO projects in development.